Tuesday, November 17, 2009

A special thank you to my good friend Joanne Abrahams, who created my avatar, the little picture that goes along with my blog.

Jo and I met her first year at Humber College in Etobicoke, and while I can’t say we were instant friends (she gave me a really dirty look when I invited her for lunch. I later found out her mom just left so I am glad I cut her some slack. But apparently I told my lunchmate ‘Well! Isn’t SHE friendly,’ so I guess I should say I am thankful she gave me a second chance after being so rude) but we were fast friends.

We spent most of our spare time in college debating religion to wee hours of the morning, playing cards, hanging out and chatting. We cheered each other, cried with each other and have celebrated life’s ups and downs. Our friendship survived her move back to Jamaica, her return and her final move to Belize, where she found happiness in her little boy, M, and her melange of pets including her newest addition, Max.

In Belize, Jo has cut herself a niche in the tourist world and in the Internet one.

Her full-time job, outside raising her almost two-year-old solo, is selling sunglasses to the tourists. But her other job combines her skill as a graphic designer with her love of power tools - designing welcome, garden and name signs.

She also creates wonderful avatars and hand-painted cards.

And while I have one of her welcome signs hanging on my door, one of my favourites pieces of Jo’s is an ad campaign she created while in college.

The picture was of a Cadbury Crunchie bar. She had rolled back the chocolate to reveal the sponge toffee inside. Crunchie is probably my least favourite chocolate bar but as soon as I saw Jo’s rendition, I immediately wanted to consume a Crunchie bar. And every time I think of it now, the same thing happens.